TOWN OF
Phone# (508) 234-3272 Fax# (508) 234-0821
The Northbridge Board of Health approved these
minutes at a meeting held
This meeting was
called to order at
Minutes: A motion was made by Ms.
Thompson to accept the minutes of
Title 5 –
Mr.
McKeon began the discussion by stating that Heritage Design Group, the design
engineers for the septic system, sent a letter to the architects in September
2006 stating that they did not authorize the connection of floor drains into
their septic system. Mr. McKeon stated that it has since been determined that
Mass. Plumbing Code requires the plumbing in the grocery area to be connected
to the septic system. His concern is the volume of water in condensation that
is now being delivered to the septic system via those floor drains and whether
that volume was calculated into the design flow. Mr. Anderson stated that his
company would be able to provide these calculations to the Board. Mr. Malley
commented that there are approximately 133 floor drains connected to the
septic. Mr. McKeon also brought up a conversation held during the group
walk-through of the store where the Board when questioning how they address
odor/sewer gas from the floor drain if they don’t receive enough liquid and dry
up, was informed that a spray of water was sent to each floor drain whenever a
sink was turned on. Mr. McKeon asked that the specifications for this equipment
be provided to the Board and that this additional flow also be calculated for
consideration of its effect on the septic.
Continued
discussion of the floor drains revolved around how to prevent spills from
entering and allowing just the condensation from the refrigeration/freezer
equipment to enter the drain. Mr. Anderson and Mr. Loin agreed that the quantity
of a material that could potentially enter the floor drain was minimal as the
store does not carry large containers of any individual product – 1-gallon
containers of product such as milk or even anti-freeze if the product was
broken directly over a floor drain allowing the entire container to enter the
drain and then entering a 30,000 gallon septic tank would be substantially
diluted so that it would not have a negative effect on the system. Mr. Loin
stated that Wal-Mart has a policy on handling broken containers so that things
like anti-freeze do not end up in a trash compactor. He stated that he would
provide a copy of that policy to the Board.
The
1,000-gallon grease trap that has been installed at the compactor pad and the
floor drains connected to it were also discussed. This grease trap was not
shown on the septic design plan and the flow from this trap was not calculated
into the design flow for the store. Mr. McKeon stated his concerns about what
could possibly end up in the compactor and the septic system and his
recommendation that this trap not be connected to the septic system but instead
be utilized as a holding tank.
Mr.
Loin stated that the compactor pad area is used to hose down various things and
that the compactor is self-contained and that no liquids from that would end up
in the septic. Mr. Loin also stated that Wal-Mart has a quarterly inspection
and pumping schedule for these types of things. Mr. Anderson agreed that it may
not be necessary to disconnect this trap but requested that a representative of
his company be present when the trap is pumped so that they can see what is
going on within that structure. The Board of Health agreed and requested that
Mr. Malley also be present for the first pumping. It was felt that a quarterly pumping
of this grease trap would probably be sufficient that it would not allow
anything to be dispensed into the septic system anyway due its limited use and
frequency of pumping.
Further
discussion about the pumping and maintenance records required that the Board of
Health be sent copies of all pumping records (grease traps, holding tank,
septic tank) and that a copy of the Wal-Mart log where they record spills also
be forwarded to the Board of Health office. Of concern were materials such as
anti-freeze being released into a floor drain and into the septic system.
Another
matter that needed to be addressed was the waste from the Optical Shop. The
septic design plan shows the waste being directed to a holding tank. It is the
Board’s understanding that there is no manufacturing on-site within the optical
shop which allows for the waste to be directed into the septic system.
Documentation supporting this must be submitted to the Board of Health office.
Also,
according to the septic design plan and Title 5, the dosing pumps, alarms and
pressure distribution system must be inspected quarterly by someone approved by
the Board of Health. Mr. McKeon stated that he would like the design engineers,
Heritage Design Group, to be the ones that conduct these quarterly inspections.
Mr. Loin stated that he did not think that would be a problem.
As
for the floor drains in the Garden Center, that will be addressed by the DEP in
their consideration of the issuance of a certificate of compliance for the
Superceding Order of Conditions that they issued for this project. Ms. Marielle
Stone of the DEP is aware of the Board’s concerns and has extended an
invitation to accompany the DEP on their site walk scheduled for
Summarizing
agreements this evening are as follows:
· Heritage Design to supply
calculations for condensation flow into floor drains
· Heritage Design to supply
letter allowing floor drain and second grease trap at compactor pad to be
connected to septic system
· Mike Loin to supply specs
for drain “water shooter” including estimated water volume
· Mike Loin to supply
Operations & Maintenance information to address handling of spills, broken
containers, etc.
· Board of Health and
Heritage Design to witness first quarterly pumping of grease traps
· Wal-Mart to supply Board
of Health with copies of all pump records
· Wal-Mart to supply Board
of Health with copy of spill log maintained by store
· A letter addressing waste
from Optical Shop must be submitted to Board
In
other business, the Board discussed the report of Terry Gilchrist, health inspector
for the Board, who is requesting that the concrete floor in the grocery area be
replaced.
Motion made by Mr.
Garabedian to send letter to Wal-Mart requiring the replacement of the concrete
floor in the food prep areas to an epoxy based poured floor or quarry tile –
approval of flooring materials must be received from the Board of Health prior
to replacement. Motion seconded by Ms. Thompson; the vote was all in favor.
Title
Recreational
Camps for Children: Appearing before the Board was Paul Baker, Don Katz, Dean
Bennett and Matt Gauthier seeking guidance in obtaining compliance with the
regulations governing recreational camps for children. The Board and Ms.
Gniadek answered their questions and advised them not to hesitate to seek
assistance from the Board of Health office.
Quaker Street
Landfill – March 2007 Landfill Gas Results: The Board reviewed the March 2007 results of
landfill gas monitoring at the Quaker Street Landfill and the two abutting properties,
1201 and 1150 Quaker Street, conducted by CDM Engineering. It appears that gas
is migrating over the property line into
Outdoor
Wood-Burning Furnaces Regulations: The Board reviewed the draft of regulations
prepared by Ms. Gniadek. Mr. McKeon stated that he found standards and
recommendations used by the industry and suggested that the Board take the
industry’s recommendations and make them regulation. Ms. Gniadek noted that
these recommendations had already been incorporated into the draft. These
regulations will be placed on the agenda of the next meeting for further
discussion.
Fiscal Year
2008 – Budget – Nursing Care Services: Ms. Gniadek presented the Board with a proposal
submitted by Barbara Johnson, RN, for nursing care services for the next fiscal
year. The Visiting Nurse Association contract is expected to increase from
$5,000 to $9,000. The proposal submitted by Ms. Johnson would address nursing
care services for $6,700. This matter will be discussed again when the Board
has a clearer picture of the proposed budget for FY 08.
Nomination of
Animal Inspector: Notice was received from the Department of Agricultural Resources that
the Board of Health was required to nominate an Inspector of Animals for the
period May 1, 2007 through April 30, 2008.
Motion made by Mr.
Garabedian to nominate Ed Mansfield as Inspector of Animals. Motion seconded by
Ms. Thompson; the vote was all in favor.
Old & New
Business:
48 Prescott Road: Mr. McKeon informed the
Board that the tenant at 48 Prescott Road, the property for which the Board has
issued notice that the septic system needs to be upgraded due to the addition
of a bedroom to the main house, had contacted the Board due to a notice of
eviction that she had received. Mr. Crocker conducted an inspection and found
several minor violations.
He
noted for the record that the rental property consisted of two bedrooms which
further justified the Board’s concern that the septic system is not
appropriately designed for this property. Records from the Building Department
note that a permit was pulled in 1984 to construct a 2-car garage. The
apartment now exists above the garage – no permits were pulled for that work
and there are no records indicating that the septic system was upgraded to
accommodate this additional flow.
There being no further business, motion to
adjourn by Mr. Chase, seconded by Ms. Thompson – all in favor.
Meeting was adjourned at 8:35 PM.
Attested by,
Jeanne M. Gniadek, Administrative
Assistant